1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to electronic voting, and in particular, to methods, systems and apparatus for controlling voting by using a secure voting system that validates voting results.
2. Description of Related Art
Voting machines for casting ballots during an election are well known. Conventional types of voting machines include those that make use of paper ballots or mechanical counters. However, many problems exist with these conventional voting machines. For instance, voting machines making use of paper ballots are undesirably subjected to the destruction and/or physical damage of such ballots, or even the possibility of paper ballots being altered. Paper ballots are also undesirable since they are subject to incorrect voting results due to voters punching the wrong holes in the ballots and the cumbersome tasks of reading and tabulating voting results for such paper ballots (particularly for write-in votes), in addition to numerous other problems associated with paper balloting.
Mechanical voting machines are an alternative to paper ballot voting. These types of voting machines generally involve the use of switches, levers, counters, or the like. When using mechanical voting machines, voters cast their vote by manipulating switches or levers, whereby once the voting period has ended, the counters of such machines are tabulated and the voting results reported to the appropriate entity. However, a common problem associated with these types of voting machines is that they require a significant amount of costly repair and maintenance, and are also expensive to operate. Many mechanical voting machines are now over 70 years old and are increasingly prone to breakdowns.
Electronic voting systems have been developed to overcome the problems associated with the above-described conventional voting systems and machines. In electronic voting, the voting systems generally involve electronically operated voting machines coupled with a central computer, and as such are capable of performing a variety of functions, such as counting votes for a voting site, counting votes for a particular voting booth, accumulating votes for a plurality of simultaneous elections, and the like. Electronic voting systems are advantageous over conventional voting approaches since they provide greater speed and accuracy, and eliminate the cumbersome task of mechanically tabulating voting results.
Many known computer-based electronic voting systems utilize transportable memory cartridges for configuring voting machines and for storing recorded data. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,641,240 and 4,641,241 to Boram disclose a memory cartridge for an electronic voting system. The memory cartridge includes two read only memories that are electrically erasable read only memories (EEPROM) and a third read only memory that is a non-electrically erasable read only memory (EPROM). Prior to the election, the cartridge is inserted into the voting machine for setting up the voting machine, and during the election, the memory cartridge remains inserted in the voting machine for storing running totals of cast votes. At the end of the election, the running total of votes is stored in the EPROM of the memory cartridge by blowing a fuse of the cartridge. The cartridge is removed from the voting machine and transported to the election headquarters for totaling the results.
While the Boram memory cartridge provides security for election tally integrity, the cartridge does not prevent a voter from voting twice, nor does it store the voting results as forever read only. Accordingly, exposing the EPROM to UV and/or replacing the blown fuses within the cartridge will erase the voting results stored in the EPROM. There are additional problems associated with electronic voting machines, including perhaps the most pervasive problem of preventing unauthorized access and tampering with votes recorded by the voting machines.
Accordingly, a need therefore exists for improved electronic voting systems that store voting results in a secure manner, wherein the data storage medium is unerasable once written thereto. All of the data storage media should have a long shelf life and be highly resistant to damage. Additionally, the data storage media should be immune to electromagnetic interference and/or UV exposure.